The St. Patrick’s Cooperative Credit Union will begin a major upgrade of its facilities and its operations this weekend.
This morning, live on ZJB Radio Montserrat, accompanied by SPCCU Director Bertram Lee and Adrian Galloway of the Galloway Group, General Manager of the SPCCU Peter Queeley outlined a three-phase plan to modernise their headquarters in Brades.
Phase one of the project, estimated to cost XCD$851,968 will include changing all the building’s windows to impact resistant ones to better enable the facility to withstand hurricanes and other natural disasters.
The roof is to also be repaired and a major renovation is planned for the third-floor meeting space which will become a modern conference centre, the General Manager shared.
Also in Phase One, services such as accounting, compliance, and internal audit will move to the second floor, a new fire escape is to be installed and the building will be painted inside and out.
Mr. Queeley said the board had been discussing upgrades to their operations for some time and he was pleased that they had reached the stage of implementation. It was necessary, he explained for the credit union to maintain the standards, look and image of a modern business.
Upgrades to the building’s security network and air-conditioning system are also a part of Phase One.
In Phase two, there will be a reconfiguration of the customer service area and expansion of the teller area. Construction of a room to house the credit union’s first ATM is also to be undertaken.
To offer more privacy to customers, the Loans Department will move to the second floor. Conscious of those who are differently abled, the general manager noted that although there was a capability to add an elevator, it will not be done at this time. However, for customers who have physical challenges, the Loans Officer will come to the first floor and meet with them in a private space.
Bertram Lee, a director on the credit union board and head of the building committee said every effort was made to ensure the tender process was fair and transparent. He said it was important that the company chosen would have the competency and offered value for the investment. He thanked the customers for their patience as they embark on the refurbishment of the building.
Adrian Galloway of The Galloway Group said his company was proud to embark on the modernisation project with the credit union. He called the project scope dynamic and multi-faceted.
The project, which is expected to take seven months will be done primarily after the credit union closes and on weekends to minimise disruption of services to customers.
Over the coming days, scaffolding will be erected around the building, with a special one for the main entrance to ensure that no debris or any other damage can befall customers entering the premises. Signage will also be placed around the construction site for guidance.
The Galloway Group intends to bring the project in before the seven-month deadline which is December 31, 2024.
Phase three of the project will be the installation of the ATM.
Once the construction is completed, customers can expect to see the launch of the credit union’s automated teller machine. Currently, online banking services are available. However, Mr. Queeley said that an ATM to improve how customers can access their funds was long overdue.
The general manager said it was important for them to continue to offer better and enhanced services to their members and the public.
